The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-06-11

dark moving mass on the water anu us
charged his piece; this was followed by
many musket shots, and the lndianola now
putting on steam became target Tor tho
gunners beside the heavy columblads AT tho
edge OF the bluff. She. however, received
but little damage, and passed on down the
river, and rescued the Era as before mar
rated. After this tho mouth OF the Red
river was reached and this stream ascend
cd for time, when IT was learned th'
Queen OF the West had undergone repairs
at the hands OF the Confedcrates and might
be- expected down at any time. AS the lat
ter vessel with the Webb would DO more
than q match for the lndianola, this gun.
boat turned about, ran down to the mouth
of Red River, and from thence up the Mis-
sissippi to the mouth OF the Big Black.
The last mentioned stream 1t was designed
TO enter and ascend as far as the Vicks-
burg a. Jackson railway bridge, which
structure it was the intention TO destroy,
Toward night Of February "a, two YES
sells approached from below that proved TO
be the Confederate gun. boat Webb and ram
Queen OF the West. The Indianola re-
treated up the river to near New Carthage,
when she turned about to attack her antag-
oaists. Tho Confederate vessels contrvcd
to ram the Indianola q number OF times
till she was reduced to a sinking condition
and was ran ashore and surrendered The
Federal vessel thus lost was one OF the
best on the river and had been built but
short time.
The Queen Of the West assembled the
river as far as Warrcnton, TO serve as
sort OF picket to the Confederate navy
Meantime the Confcderatcs were making
strenuous efforts TO raise and rett the
lndanola Two or three days after the
surrender OF the latter vessel, the Webb
came hurrying down the river with orders
for the Indanola to be blown up at once
as a powerful Federal gunboat had run the
Vcksburg batteries and was now on her
wav down the river, bent on the capture
and destruction Of all Confederate crafts
Az soon as tins message was delivered the
Ind anola was blown up and the Queen re-
treated up Red river, whittier She was pre-
coded by the balance Of the Confederate
feet.
But what Of the terrible gun. Doat that
created so much CONSERVATION with tho
Confcderatcs, causing them to retire their
movable vessels up Red river and blow up
the superb Iud anOlai
A few DAYS prior to this action by the
Confederates, Commodore Porter had fitted
up the hulk OF an old flat boat in imitation
C! a gunboat. Pork barrels were piled up
IN the form Of smoke-stacks, and through
them poured quantities OF smoke from muu
furnaces beneath A dark coat of paint
and some further imitation work made tho
resemblance TO gunboat complete, ana
one dark night this dummy was set adrlft
in the current Of the river just above
Vicksburg
The Confederate batteries fired at her
with much vigor, but some way, all missed
the mark, and the "gunboat" OF such pow
erful aspect passed by unharmed; and by
the Star Of the West word was hurredly
sent down the river for the destruction OF
the Indianola Two months later the
Queen OF the West was blown up
to obviate falling into Federal hands,
and about the time the Confederacy was
going to pieces in April, 1865, the Wepo
loaded with cotton, ran out OF Red river,
thence down tho Mississippi, past several
gun boats and even past New Orleans, but
being at last intercepted by the Brooklyn,
ran ashore and was set on fire.
Tho daring OF this adventure excited
much interest at the time in General Can
by's department.
About the middle OF March, 1858, Com.
modore Farragut succeeded in passing the
Port Hudson batteries with two OF his
vessels and about a week later communi-
Gated from just below Vicksburg with
Commodore Porter's fleet just above.
Needing some reinforcemcnts in the way
OF vessels Farragut asked for some from